E-II @ DGMC

Ending September in the knowledge that enticing new E-II models are available at Davis GMC. Seen here is the M-II NT in black natural fade ($2.8K). 

And this equally enticing Eclipse with that alluring quilt top in reindeer blue finish ($2.5K). 

Goodbye, September...

Pics: ESP
 

Poly Vai

This dropped yesterday, I believe - Polyphia got Vai into their latest single, Ego Death. It's currently the talk of guitardom, that is, how two different generations of guitar wizardries got into a single act, putting out a statement of relevance. How I feel about it (you have no obligations to agree):

• Same brand ambassadors flocking together. These individuals getting together was most probably made possible by their brand endorsements more than anything else. 
• Relevance. I see this as a Polyphia thing because majority of the music is theirs to begin with. Vai is in this on an invitational basis. I see Vai being out of place here, pertaining to the type of music that is being dished out. He is Vai & he is doing his Vai thing in this song which he is entitled to but hearing everything in context, I can't help but notice a disconnect. Vai's beeps, blurts & blips are out of place & more relevant / suitable in his Bad Horsie song for instance. The painful reflection here is that Vai's type of guitar playing approach is too different to be assimilated into Polyphia's obsessive-compulsive technicalities; it's bordering on being distasteful. Given a  choice, Greg Howe might be a more relevant candidate coming from Vai's generation of shred-tastic players if seniority is the qualifying criteria. 
• Those guitars. Yes, there is a subliminal anticipation of Ibanez doing a dedicated nylon string guitar which would appeal to contemporary players as opposed to classical musicians exclusively. Word is going round that it's gonna be a 2023 thing.  If there's a commercial hesitation then Ibanez need to learn from Godin - the Multiac was / is a run away success. Also, that Xiphos is making a flirtatious full-fledge return to prominence. It's a clever marketing strategy, isn't it? Ibanez telling the world their brand name covers a wide serving of guitars; nylon string, super strats, 7-string, pointy guitars & heck, there's even a bass in there. 

Enough rant. Here's how it sounds like:

Pic: YT

8570

 

One of the non-vine inlay Ibanez J-Custom, RG8570, is now available at Swee Lee - $3,999. The hardcore Ibanez fans might be interested in this one at this price considering this amount of money can get you a Gibson LP Standard which will manifest a stronger re-sale value subsequently. If you really want one, be glad that it's available now; buying guitar in a couple of month's time will be a more painful experience.

Pic: Ibanez

KH-3 30th

The ESP version of the 30th Anniversary KH-3 is also available at Davis GMC in the mean time. Despite the hefty price tag ($6.2K), this thing is selling fast everywhere. I don't see the general attraction per se for this guitar but it will definitely be a thing for Metallica / Hammett fanboys. Also, ESP does not make that smaller headstock version for their standard production Eclipse model so if you want one, it has to be this signature model. 

Pic: ESP

Death cut

I gave this up yesterday, bought a new one. Over time, these cutters will become mechanically inept like this one for instance. The mechanism holding this together is slowly giving way, the blades won't shut tight (hence the gap you see there). Consequence - it's inefficient when cutting thinner gauge strings. Also, the blade edges get jagged & makes cutting a little tricky. 

Metallica LTDs

If you are interested in these signature LTD guitars (Metallica) in the mean time, do grab one ASAP (in stock at Davis GMC & moving fast). Two reasons: 1) LTD production is halted in the mean time so whatever is available right now are the final few obligations to the dealers 2) Prices are getting out of hand, it's happening across the board, not just for the LTD brand. The next time you purchase a guitar you'd be hit my price hikes + new GST rates - double whammy.

Pics: Davis GMC

Home Grooves

Managed to drop by this mini exhibition at the Esplanade before heading for coffee. 

It's basically documenting local music through the decades. 

Of course, I spent the most time reading up on the showcased guitars:

1. Suhaimi's Yamaha. Suhaimi is the guitarist of Stomping Ground, one of the foremost hardcore bands here. I used to watch them perform at Harbour Front when it was still known as the World Trade Center. On weekends, bands performed at the amphitheater for free. 
2. Partick's Fender. Patrick Chng is a member of the Oddfellows, a well-known indie act. The Fender decal is a replacement so this may / may not be a Fender. Might be a partcaster of sorts.
3. Francis' Washburn. The initiated among us know him as Francis Frightful of the band Opposition Party. This band had some of the best punk vibes & a strong following.

If you are interested to know more, do drop by Esplanade's concourse area (where the indoor live stage is). There should be more efforts to document music developments here & this one gets my thumbs up.

KR weekend

Welcoming the weekend with my Schecter KR... & back to hearing Seymour Duncans in action 😅 

Taking this opportunity to re-evaluate my right hand performance. Sometimes I feel the right hand is affected by what's there at the bridge area, in particular the bridge itself. In this Schecter, the Hipshot type bridge is a minimalist appointment to not have too many details getting in the way. My right hand is actually comfortable resting over such a feature. It gets tricky when I deal with a Tele-type bridge, especially the 3-saddle version when it feels like the palm is going in & out of surfaces. 

MOMM (26)

Tulus: Cold Cuts Collection

This is a 2-disc compilation release. Disc 1 contain selected songs from the band's initial two releases, I actually have those albums & do not need this. Disc 2 has demos, pre-produced & cover songs; this is the disc that I was after when I bought this package. Tulus sounds more menacing in their unpolished version. I have a feeling some of these are also live renditions. Interestingly, there are two cover songs; one by Obituary & the other by David Bowie. I'm always a fan of how metal bands re-interpret non-metal songs & make it their own. It has to be tasteful, otherwise, it's just attracting attention.

Depeche Mode: Violator

1990 is that turn in the music timeline when grunge took over & everything musical was secondary, the image & anti-guitar attitude was everything. Being in a pop, non-guitar inclined setting meant Depeche Mode held their own & Violator proved to be one of their best post-80s effort. World in My Eyes, Policy of Truth, Personal Jesus & Enjoy the Silence are definitive DM songs that continue to inspire even today. This release has an immense relevance & staying power.

40th VE

OK so this escaped my attention, as usual, not following because of lesser interest. However, it's worth mentioning here. Squier's 40th Anniversary came in two versions, the gold appointments which was mentioned here before & this Vintage Edition which is free from gold appointments.

These are now available at Swee Lee as well & going for the same listing prices as their Gold Edition counterparts - $799 each.

Pics: Fender

Green Tuesday

I think my ears are a little weary listening to Duncans & DiMarzios so playing this one today. Pickups are Teslas. Didn't play for too long, just a quick 30min post-dinner. Was a little lethargic but I had this tune ringing in my head & had to let it out. Also, kept to the bridge pickup all the way through. What I like about the Nitro is that it sounds like the Duncan JB; very close. FYI the Brian Moore i91 here is Korean. Serial number suggests it's made by World Music, the same people who handle Schecter, Jackson & other notable brand names.

AE September

Lest we forget, September is also an acoustic month for Ibanez with good new AE models. The one you see above though, is the least attractive (AEG61); non-solid top & a laurel fretboard.

The AE275SPM is, in my opinion, the standard to beat if budget is your thing because this one features a solid spruce top & an ebony fretboard. 

The AP11 pickup at the fretboard edge means it's more adept to taps & pops unlike under-saddle pickups. Also, please be informed that this guitar has a 25.6" scale length, slightly longer than the average AE scale length.

The AE275BT here has an even longer scale length; 27" so that 'B' in the model label might allude to a baritone performance. 

This is perhaps the best feature when it comes to action adjustments - the scalloped bridge. It's designed to accommodate a filed down saddle so those scallops / ridges actually allow the strings to go deeper into the bridge without actually coming into contact with the bridge material itself. This feature should be incorporates into more models, yes? Many of us just give up playing the acoustic because the action is too darn high for playing comfort, a definite put off for those just starting out.

Pics: Ibanez

Oranges

Orange amps re-issued these recently. More accurately, these are re-interpreted versions, as the latest iterations differ slightly from the historical take (eg. LED indicator). If you are interested, these are available at Davis GMC ($299 each). 

Pic: Orange

Pickup replacement monologue

 

Them: You keep replacing pickups, this will devalue your guitar.

Me: Definitely not. A pickup's worthiness depends on the user. If it doesn't serve the user's needs, it's better off replaced. Some people put high hopes on pickups in certain guitars in view of the brand name; Gibson, Fender & Suhr, among others. Nothing wrong with that but it prevents a true evaluation of the pickups' worthiness. If they don't work for you, then they don't work for you, regardless of the brand name.

Them: You're saying the replacements are always better?

Me: Definitely not as well. There is a good chance the replacements are what the player prefer if they dislike the default ones to begin with. This is especially true if the player has a history of using the pickup brand in other guitars. They know what works for them.

Them: In that case, why don't guitar manufacturers just put good, branded pickups in their instruments to begin with?

Me: They do. The Jackson DKR you see above, for instance, feature a pair of DiMarzio pickups (Super Distortion / PAF Pro). There are other examples of course. They are not doing so for all guitars, it depends on the tier the instruments are in. The beginner / starter models often feature in-house pickups to keep prices down.

Them: What are examples of good pickup brands?

Me: There are none. What is good for you might not be the case for me. There is a higher chance  of you liking a certain brand name as opposed to something that is so good, it outperforms all others. If that's the case, there should only be one pickup brand, yes? Because the rest are awful; you follow? 

Pic: Jackson

FTDWM

Fender (Japan) just dropped this like a couple of days ago-  it's the Telecaster Deluxe Limited Run Wide-range Cunife humbucking Mahogany guitar. A darn mouthful but it looks killer. There are understandably fans who prefer solid colours, they simply can't gel with the colour of ... wood. Anyway, this is an online exclusive but the last online exclusive form the Japanese web store made it here (Super Sonic) so there's no telling what can happen in time to come. If there are indeed plans to bring this one here, please do so before the GST crap kicks in. 

Pic: Fender Japan

More Js

More Jackson-anigans here. Actually these happened before the American Series stole the limelight. I was a little late as usual because the endorsers of these models are not whom I fancy in terms of guitar-playing. For instance, Josh Smith's Soloist SL7 ET you see above, I'm like, Josh Smith? And I found out he's in a metal core band & like - I don't listen to this kinda of music. But in true guitar-inclined interest sans the judgmental facet, I actually checked it out. The BK Impulse pickups there mean business, of course. I'm sure it has some aggressive applications for those interested. USD2,699.99 - interested?

Rob Cavestany's Pro Series signature model is something I can relate to - that pointy outline screams metal. However, a USD1,199 guitar with an FR Special bridge... em... 

Final one on the list - a Japanese MJ Rhoads RRT (USD2,799.99). A very white guitar with promising appointments & my kinda pickups - Seymour Duncans. However, I've enough of white finishes that would cream off over time. It's like you might as well invest in an off-white finish but if colour ageing is your thing then by all means. Deal-breaker (in my opinion) - price.

Pics: Jackson

Jackson: Am Series

Jackson launched this last week - the American Series Soloist. It's hyped to be that great playing, great sounding tone machine the world is waiting for. Maybe.

For American pride, there are Japanese tuners on board (GOTOH) ...

... & a Korean bridge (FR 1500 Series). How much for this green one? USD2,499.99 but do yourselves a favour & click this link to check the specs of this Concept Series Soloist, pay attention to which bridge model is offered: CLICK How much? USD1,999.99... That flipped shark fin inlay got some people re-thinking their choices as well. Back in Y2K, Fender's American Standard Series was re-named as the American Series. By the way, who owns the Jackson brand name? 

Pics: Jackson USA

Lamb of Gibson

 

This happened like at the beginning of the month & because I don't follow the Gibson brand name closely (not as closely as Ibanez, Fender & ESP), I finally noticed this update. Lamb of God's Mark Morton said goodbye to Jackson & moved to the Gibson camp. 

I see this as a positive move on Gibson's part because it's arguably added some currency to the brand name. Look at the recent Gibson developments, namely the new product launches, the instrument endorsers are people who had passed their prime; Dave Mustaine, Jerry Cantrell, Adam Jones, Gene Simmons, etc. No disrespect to these very talented & successful individuals but these names are popular with past generations of guitar geeks, the current ones will need to look them up & spend time listening to past music catalogues just to get in the know. OK, LOG is not exactly that current (1999 & counting) but they still emit that kind of energy that will get the current generation interested.

Pic: MESA IG

M-T

If you wish to get the MONO Vertigo bag seen here in green with product ambassador Yvette Young, it's available at Swee Lee now but it's gonna cost you a bit ($256). It's also available in blue & pink which look equally funky. By the way, these are designed collaboratively with TEISCO. Emm... who's the owner of MONO & Teisco?

Pic: YY FB

Black S

This is an Ibanez S470. Yes, that Korean S-model featuring a Lo-TRS bridge. It's looking kinda funky now because it's been brought back to life recently. It was previously left for dead. I managed to buy this one after selling off two Seymour Duncan pickups.

Here's a list of what's wrong with this guitar:

• Dusty. Very dusty indeed, from top to bottom.
• Fretboard was fungal infected on most areas.
• Tarnished, dead frets. Unplayable from about the 13th fret upwards.
• Dead bridge parts. One string locking bolt was rounded, there was no way to unlock it.
• Tarnished bridge, dry green slime seen at some parts.
• Rusty pickups
• Neck separation at joint near the headstock.
• Rusty strap buttons
• Body was dirty. The bag's inner lining left an impression on some parts of the body

The idea here is to re-store this guitar strictly on a DIY basis regardless of the issues I'm dealing with. Sending this to a repair guy is not a consideration at all but I will definitely send it to Beez for an electronics make-over. 

I started with the neck separation issue as I deem this severe. A penknife blade was used to clean the exposed area, dirt & dust was virtually dug out from between the gap. Wood glue was used together with a mini C-clamp I have lying around in the house. Left it to bond for two days & the result is depicted above. Whatever dry glue residue that seeped out was sanded off using the finest grade paper which I happen to have. The surface was oiled & polished. In fact, the entire neck length was given this treatment. 

To be continued...

Ibanez Pestilence

Patrick Mameli (Pestilence) had been seen playing headless guitars lately. Just before the official announcement, he was seen playing this QX52 during the band's Kasel (Germany) date.

A few days later, he's officially listed on Ibanez's endorser roster. So the Q-Series has an official metal ambassador. This is significant because the other Q-toting artist who has a much larger guitar fan base is Ichika Nito & he's not the metal type. This is an unofficial statement by Ibanez saying their Q models are that versatile. 

Pics: Pestilence / Ibanez

Aero Special

Fender launched the Aerodyne Spacial a couple of days ago, they are still made in Japan. I've yet to experience the special element here as these look like the current Aerodyne sans pickguard. On that note, it looks like the Modern Series which were available not too long ago but these cost significantly lesser.

For Strats, the SSS version is available with a maple fingerboard. 

Tele fans, you're not forgotten. I love that clean look; no metal plate at the electronics section. OK so this version of the Aerodyne Tele has a Tele-type neck single coil. The previous one has a P-90. Also, the selector switch is back at the electronics area, unlike the LP style 3-way toggle of its predecessor. 

OK so this time round, there's a P-Bass - yes! It's a serious enticement for me. I've been wanting one. Of course, no funds for an immediate purchase. Bummer.

Pics: Fender Japan

Lyra

This dropped last week; Kiesel's Lyra (bolt-on) model, a collaboration between Kiesel & Greg Howe. Please be informed that the Greg Howe  signature model is still available, this is just an addition to the fold.

For the entire of last weekend, I was bothered by the Lyra name; it sounded terribly familiar; where have I seen / heard it before? Lyra is actually the brand name of the colour pencils kids use in school. So, there.

Pics: Kiesel / Artfriend

Price watch (44)

I really have no idea why these items are priced as such in the after-market.

In this day & age, price reference is just a Google search away.

Maybe these sellers are new to the gear circle, they might not know stuff. We do respect these listings; people can price their items for as much as they want, it boils down to demand & supply at the end of it all. This is not a call to under-price your items as well, it's good to reflect some awareness when doing so.

Duke 'em

This was announced a week ago - MXR's Duke of Tone. Those of us familiar with the script there, would know there's an Analog Man collaboration here. Analog Man is a boutique brand of pedals with a cult following despite the rather prohibitive price tags. If you've been wanting one, you know the semi-ridiculous waiting time involved. This collaboration means, pedals are made more accessible with a more inviting price tag. I just feel good seeing this kinda collaboration not because it satiates the want for a boutique label, but the availability of good-sounding pedals to the masses - that's more important. Here are some insights for your considerations:

PIC: Sweetwater

Philips

I can't remember which pedal came with this Philips battery as default. It's obviously not available over the store counters, parts of the battery was masked off to indicate special manufacture. In any case, this is the longest serving, non-alkaline battery that I've come across. Part of its lasting nature might be the fact that it's serving a tuner pedal, something that consumes very little power compared to drive or delay pedals. Thank you, Philips, for the 3 months of service. 

Give away: inXS we trust (DONE)

Greetings, gear folks. It's that time once more, I'm giving away this set of D'Addario XS strings. I've never been a fan of coated strings but the XS is something very acceptable by my standards. I've chosen this gauge to perhaps entice the other side of the string camp who are not into 'conventional' gauges. It's a subtle way of saying I know you are out there. So here goes:

• send me a blank email with the subject: inXS!
• wait for me to reply saying you are the lucky recipient
• strictly a first come, first serve basis

A huge shoutout to Davis GMC for the sponsor - thank you, Janet & Co! 👍

EDIT: Congrats to bro Amirun - your strings are on the way. 

Yo, GIOs! Slight return...

At the start of August, we saw the flip flop finished GRG121 made its debut in the 2022 lineup. This September, this glittery black version makes a good addition to the fold. Yes, there's actually fine glitter in this Black Night finish, not quite visible here.

Just a reminder that there's the mono-unit output jack here, just like the one in the AZES. 

So the SA-Series DNA continues to live in the GSA lineup (GSA60QA). This time, it's given the quilted top treatment, which is likely to be a veneer in this price point.

PIC: Ibanez